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The persuasive role of the past: Policy feedback and citizens' acceptance of information communication technologies during the COVID‐19 pandemic in China

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  • Yue Guo
  • Lei Zhou
  • Jidong Chen

Abstract

How can the enforcement of policies in the past influence a society's future adoption of information communication technologies (ICTs)? In this paper, we tackle this question by exploring how past e‐governance policies influence citizens' willingness to use the health QR code, which is a COVID‐19 tracing app widely used in China's pandemic control. Past policies regarding smart‐city development in China involve two aspects: the construction of electronic infrastructure and the applications of specific technologies. Empirical analysis based on a nationwide dataset in China suggests that past policies exhibit persuasive effects and influence citizens' acceptance of the health QR code. Specifically, e‐governance applications in cities significantly enhance citizens' acceptance through the demonstration of their usefulness. However, the construction of e‐governance infrastructure per se does not have the same impact on citizens' acceptance. By connecting citizens' acceptance of new technology with past e‐governance policies, the study illustrates a nuanced policy feedback mechanism through which past policies can substantially reshape public opinion by policy outcomes. ¿Cómo puede la aplicación de políticas en el pasado influir en la futura adopción de tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) en una sociedad? En este documento, abordamos esta pregunta explorando cómo las políticas de gobierno electrónico anteriores influyen en la voluntad de los ciudadanos de usar el código QR de salud, que es una aplicación de rastreo de COVID‐19 ampliamente utilizada en el control de la pandemia en China. Las políticas anteriores con respecto al desarrollo de ciudades inteligentes en China involucran dos aspectos: la construcción de infraestructura electrónica y las aplicaciones de tecnologías específicas. El análisis empírico basado en un conjunto de datos a nivel nacional en China sugiere que las políticas anteriores exhiben efectos persuasivos e influyen en la aceptación del código QR de salud por parte de los ciudadanos. Específicamente, las aplicaciones de gobierno electrónico en las ciudades mejoran significativamente la aceptación de los ciudadanos a través de la demostración de su utilidad. Sin embargo, la construcción de infraestructura de gobierno electrónico per se no tiene el mismo impacto en la aceptación de los ciudadanos. Al conectar la aceptación de las nuevas tecnologías por parte de los ciudadanos con las políticas anteriores de gobierno electrónico, el estudio ilustra un mecanismo matizado de retroalimentación de políticas a través del cual las políticas anteriores pueden remodelar sustancialmente la opinión pública mediante los resultados de las políticas. 过去的政策执行如何影响社会对信息通信工具(ICTs)未来应用的接受程度？在本文中我们通过检验过去的城市数字化发展政策如何影响公众对于使用健康码的意愿来回答这一问题。健康码是一种中国广泛应用于新冠疫情(COVID‐19)防控中的轨迹追踪程序。以往中国的城市数字化政策涉及两方面：数字基础设施建设和公共服务数字化应用。基于一项中国全国范围调查数据的实证分析表明，过去的数字化发展政策呈现出“说服效应”影响了公众对于健康码的接受度，特别是公共服务数字化应用通过证明其有效性显著提高了公民的接受度。然而，数字基础设施建设没有对公民的接受度产生反馈影响。通过将公民对新技术的接受度与过去的城市数字化发展政策相联系，本研究阐明了一种微妙的政策反馈机制，过去的政策能在该机制中通过政策产出显著改变公众观念。

Suggested Citation

  • Yue Guo & Lei Zhou & Jidong Chen, 2023. "The persuasive role of the past: Policy feedback and citizens' acceptance of information communication technologies during the COVID‐19 pandemic in China," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 40(4), pages 573-588, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:revpol:v:40:y:2023:i:4:p:573-588
    DOI: 10.1111/ropr.12506
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